Suicide bomber kills 48 students

A suicide bomber disguised in a school uniform has detonated explosives at a high school assembly in north-east Nigeria, and a morgue worker says 48 students have been killed.

Soldiers rushed to the grisly scene today at Potiskum, but were chased away by people throwing stones, angry at the military’s inability to halt a five-year-old Islamic insurgency that has killed thousands and driven hundreds of thousands from their homes.

A suicide bomber last week killed 30 people in the same city, the Yobe state capital.

Survivors say about 2,000 students had gathered for today’s weekly assembly at the Government Technical Science College when explosives apparently carried in a school-type rucksack blasted through the hall.

Hospital workers say dozens are being treated and amputations are likely.